A Way With Sneasel
by teashadogs
Summary: The Sneasel Ninja strikes again! This story is based on the pokestar studios film "Full Metal Cop." The first four chapters will be the original Mecha Cop movies, and then the real story will begin. Sneasel Ninja x Mecha Cop
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

**This is the first chapter to my story, A Way With Sneasel. The story is adapted from the Full Metal Cop pokestar studios film in the Black and White game. The first four chapters are prologue, then the rest will actually start the story. During the first four chapters, I do not own the plot. However, I own most of the character's thoughts, both character's identity characters (basically their true identities), and the entire plot after the first four chapters.**

**Thank you for your time. Now, we shall begin!**

* * *

Chapter 1

A figure cloaked in black ran through the shadows and into the back door of the laboratory. No one could see her brown pigtails flying through the dead of night, much less her body shining in the starlight. She raced up the stairs, climbing higher and higher until the fifth floor. Slowly, she slipped through the halls on her way to a metal door. There was a key pad, but she immediately punched in the right numbers—2431596—and the door swung open. She sneaked further and further. The dynamatronic machine was only a few feet away until—the door slammed behind her. She whirled around to face a silver man in a trench coat. She shuddered. It was Mecha Cop.

The girl reached for her belt and pulled out her Pokémon, a Sneasel, as Mecha Cop sent out Heracross. She shuddered at the sounds of the bug Pokémon's cries as it was released.

"Found an intruder. Verifying its biometrics…" said Mecha Cop in a steely voice.

"Is that… a security robot?" The girl pondered for a second, not sure what to think. She had heard of this person—or thing—but had never actually met it before. Was it human? It didn't look very human, that was for sure. It was completely metal, even under the open brown trench coat it wore.

"Verification complete," said Mecha Cop, looking up to reveal a clearly human face. _Not a robot, not a robot!_ "The serial robber, Sneasel Ninja. Surrender!"

"It's a human cop!" The girl, Sneasel Ninja, jumped back in shock. "Is his entire body reinforced by mechanics?" She questioned herself, but had not heard of such a thing, even in her life of crime.

"Code name, Mecha Cop," The man said as he stepped forward, blocking the Sneasel Ninja in the laboratory. "Séquence d'activation! Action!"

"Sneasel! Use faint attack!" The Sneasel Ninja cried as panic fled to her eyes. This could be the end for her… if so, everything she had done in her life would have been for nothing. All the stealing, all the hiding. He would take it all away.

"Tackle!" ordered Mecha Cop. Sneasel and Heracross raced toward each other, attacking. When they both jumped back, Heracross stood by its trainer while Sneasel huffed and puffed. _Oh no…_ thought the Sneasel Ninja. _Not already!_

"You showed resistance… I'll regard it as hostile behavior." Mecha Cop stepped forward and held his hand toward the Sneasel Ninja, revealing a small gadget on his wrist. "The handcuff launcher, Aputen, fuego!"

An explosion went off, clouding the room in dust. Sneasel Ninja slowly looked up from her duck and cover on the floor, as she shook from fear. _What was that?_ The wall had a giant, blackened hole in it, right where she had been standing. Her eyes widened and her face drained of blood.

"Woah…" She said, both in horror and disbelief. "All of a sudden, what did you do?"

"I don't tolerate crimes. I'll bring you down by force!" Sneasel Ninja didn't like the sound of that. It sounded as if he didn't care whether or not he killed her… She gulped as she prepared to fight back again.

"What?" She cried, breathily. "I only use Pokémon for stealing, but you use weapons like that! It's not fair!"

Mecha Cop's gaze darkened for a second, before taking a chance to reply. "Hmm… I see. My justice will be tainted if a villain criticizes me." Mecha cop said, putting his hand to his chin. Maybe he thought she was right? But Sneasel Ninja's hoped were drowned as he glared back at her. "In this situation, I should use Pokémon to arrest her."

The Sneasel Ninja's heart sank. "Such a… violent cop…" she stammered, with a frown on her face. She had never encountered a person quite like him, and she didn't know what to make of it. "I won't lose!" she cried.

"There's no room for negotiation with the Sneasel Ninja," Mecha Cop mocked. "Frontalangriff!"

_ Mecha Cop… he has been modified into a cyborg… is he a secret agent for the World Police?_ The Sneasel Ninja started to ponder for a moment, until Mecha Cop stepped forward again and brought her back to reality with his cold gaze.

"I won't allow a villain like you to have the dynamatronic machine!" He shouted angrily.

"Sneasel, use faint attack!" the Sneasel Ninja cried. She needed to come up with a plan, but how…?

"Heracross, horn attack!" The two Pokémon met in midair again, and it was becoming clear that Sneasel would not win this fight. She was only barely holding on. The Sneasel Ninja shook her head silently, but shot at her only chance before her Pokémon would faint.

"Is your Pokémon a match for my Pokémon?" She cried, triumphantly bluffing.

"Stai zitto! Justice prevails—good over evil!" He said affirmatively. Obviously he could read her Pokémon just as well as she could. He stepped forward, ready to battle again.

_ Hmpf! I'm not such a fool to go head to head with you… _the Sneasel Ninja thought. _I'll wait for an opportunity to escape._ She crossed her fingers in hope it would work.

"The Sneasel Ninja! I'll make sure to put you in jail and make you pay for your crimes!" Mecha Cop held up his arm, creating a commanding aura to surround him. It was all Sneasel Ninja could do to stand her ground.

"Try it!" Sneasel Ninja bluffed. If she was going to go down, she would at least go down with a fight.

Suddenly, a flare of light shot out from Mecha Cop's arm toward Sneasel Ninja. "AAIIIEEEEE!" She cried, stumbling into the wall as the explosion hit her in the chest. Books in the shelves above her came loose, tumbling onto her head as she screamed, trying to run for cover. The spines, corners, and jagged pages dug into her skin as she attempted to cover her head.

When it all settled, Sneasel Ninja coughed as she pushed the books out from around her and forced herself to sit up, dazed. _Ugh… without thinking about the surroundings… what an attack! _ She thought to herself. She rubbed her head as she realized a bump was already forming on it. It would be purple by tomorrow.

She looked up to see Mecha Cop running at her full tilt, his arm out and ready to command his Heracross.

"Faint attack!" She cried, reaching out to her wounded Pokémon for aid. It jumped up, ready to attack Mecha Cop.

"Horn attack!" He cried, dodging Sneasel's faint attack just in time. Suddenly, Heracross rammed into Sneasel, causing Sneasel to fall onto the floor, swirls in her eyes.

Sneasel Ninja stood back, horrified, putting a hand to her mouth to stop the screams. What had just happened? Things had never gone so badly, even when a cop did find her.

"Mission accomplie." Mecha Cop turned back to the Sneasel Ninja, looking her straight in the eyes. She squirmed under his ruthless stare. Would he ever see a criminal as someone other than a traitor? "Sneasel Ninja, you didn't lose to me. You were defeated by law and justice."

He stepped forward, pulling out handcuffs, as she slumped onto the floor. She shook all over, no matter how much Mecha Cop tried to steady her as he handcuffed her. Then, he led her out of the laboratory and down the steps, into a police car. She would never be the same again.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

**Here's the second chapter! I just wanted to thank everyone for reading this and giving it a chance. I have to say I've been very impressed with the feedback I've gotten already, and it has excited me into writing so much more this weekend. The next chapter probably won't come out as quickly as this one did, but I hope you will bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the plot for this chapter, but I do own their thoughts.**

* * *

Chapter 2

"How did she get away?" Mecha Cop cried. "Weren't you watching her the whole time?"

"I'm sorry, sir," the police officer pleaded. "We had her in our car, and everything was going smoothly, but then when we hit a stoplight, the door slammed from behind us and she was gone!"

"You don't need to be so pale, I know it was an accident," said Mecha Cop, bringing his hand to his head. The police officer sighed in relief. "But it's terrible that she's escaped. Where could she be?"

"Well, um, she left this note…" The police officer reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, handing it to Mecha Cop. He skimmed through it.

"Why, this says she'll go steal the Rainbow Pearl! Why didn't you give this to me?"

"I'm sorry, I only noticed it an hour ago!" the police officer cried, holding his hands up.

Mecha Cop sighed. _Does he think I'm going to punish him or something?_ "It's okay, but… I need to go find her and bring her back to jail. She'll never learn if she keeps stealing."

* * *

The Sneasel Ninja sprinted down the beach, her hair flowing behind her as she raced toward her escape boat. She was ready for Mecha Cop now—which she was amazed at in and of itself—and now she only needed him to appear any second now…

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain as her hair was pulled back. "OW!" She cried, whirling around to face Mecha Cop. _Figures he'd be here by now,_ she thought. _I'm surprised he wasn't here earlier._

"The serial robber, the Sneasel Ninja." He let go of the Sneasel Ninja's hair, pulling out his Poké ball. "Surrender!"

"Mecha Cop! You've completely fallen for my trap!" Sneasel Ninja cried, grinning evilly. She had planned from this from the very start. Why else would she tell Mecha Cop where she was going and what item she planned to steal?

"What do you mean?" He cried, trying to sound controlling. But the Sneasel Ninja saw that of flash of panic in his eyes. She knew he was afraid. "Sneasel Ninja!" She smiled as she realized she now had the upper hand.

"I'm not interested in the Rainbow Pearl at all! The tip I gave you, the one where I said I would steal the pearl, was a trap to lure you to come here!" Sneasel Ninja shot the words at him like a bullet. _Try to take that one, Mecha Cop._

"You… you tricked me!" Mecha Cop cried, cursing. "Du miser verbrecher!"

"Tee hee hee! The sand of this beach is magnetized, and make mechanics malfunction!" She threw her hands in the air majestically. "On top of that, a salty breeze is blowing! I look forward to your cyborg body getting rusty!"

Mecha Cop seemed to stop for a while. _Is he going to fight back?_ Wondered the Sneasel Ninja. She hoped it would be the other way around, but knowing him it probably wouldn't be. "In that case… I just have to arrest you again before this body gets rusty." Sneasel Ninja's heart sank. _Drat, this is going to be harder than I had thought._ "Go, Sawk!" He cried, releasing his Pokémon.

"Try it!" the Sneasel Ninja spat back. "Sneasel, I choose you!"

"Endure!"

"Swords dance!"

The two Pokémon looked at each other, then back at their masters like they wanted to fight each other. Suddenly, though, Sawk's skin turned purple.

"Wh-what? Why does Sawk have a toxic orb?" Mecha Cop cried, racing toward his poisoned Pokémon. He pulled out an antidote as he glared back at Sneasel Ninja vengefully. "You! It was you! I won't forgive you!" He shot up as he threw his hand toward Sneasel Ninja.

"Tee hee hee… I swapped items while you were not watching."

"Alloy net! Amputen fuego!" Mecha Cop cried. Suddenly, an explosion fired from Mecha Cop's arm. Sneasel Ninja ducked behind a palm tree, but the net Mecha Cop had launched toward her grazed her arm. She looked down at her arm to see deep scratches already starting to bleed.

"Woah…" She murmured, shocked. She stepped to the other side of the tree, facing Mecha Cop while holding her arm at her side. "You… used a weapon again…"

"Argh… I'm disappointed in myself." Mecha Cop whispered under his breath, quietly enough to keep Sneasel Ninja from hearing. "I got upset, and without thinking I used…" He shook his head. _I can't do that anymore. I could end up killing her. Not that I don't think she deserved it, but still…_

"Huff… puff…" Sneasel Ninja breathed heavily as she stepped forward, but a smile formed on her face anyways. "Tee hee hee! You're panicking! Are you having a hard time Mecha Cop? Give it up before it's too late." Mecha Cop glared back at the Sneasel Ninja. _How can she be so happy at a time like this?_ he thought.

"Surrender!" She cried. "Right? Tee hee hee… hahahahaha…" Sneasel Ninja put a hand to her mouth as she leaned forward, trying to stop laughing. _But it's just so funny,_ she thought. _How did he go from the king of justice to this person?_

Mecha Cop looked back up at Sneasel Ninja's laughing form, and glared back at her. "My justice is unshakeable, no matter what the circumstances. Prépare-toi!"

"Stop bluffing!" She shouted back at him. T_rust me, I know bluffing when I see it…_

"It's a model answer for villains." He reasoned. "It's worth defeating you!" He reached out to his Pokémon again, ready to return to the battle.

"Sneasel, use brick break!" the Sneasel Ninja cried. Sneasel jumped up, striking down hard on Sawk's back, but Sawk held on.

"Now, Sawk! Use counter!" Suddenly Sneasel Ninja's eyes widened as Mecha Cop's Sawk took her Sneasel down with one hit.

"But…" She said breathily. "I thought the strategy this time was perfect…" her head sank down as she trailed off. _I was supposed to win… Why don't I… ever win…?_

"Sneasel Ninja, you're underestimating the power of justice." Mecha Cop stepped forward.

"Tsk."

"To protect law and justice, I could be infinitely cruel! That's the real World Police!" Mecha Cop stared at her, wishing she could understand. _But she doesn't—certainly not yet, at least._

Sneasel Ninja glared down at the sandy beach, wishing she could have won and wanting to spit back at Mecha Cop for being so cruel. Why was he always like this? Was it just how he thought justice should be served? Was it because she had done something to him in the past? No, that wasn't it. He was just being cruel. But it wasn't like there was a reason.

Mecha Cop handcuffed her wrists again and dragged her away to the police car. "Mission accomplie."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

**Here is the fabled third chapter/third movie of the Mecha Cop series. Don't worry, I'm almost getting to the good part, which is when the movies end and the fun begins! I want to thank TimeWolfSaphira, Musashisuya, and Greyrosedragon for reviewing so far. Thank you so much, you've really uplifted my feelings about this story and where it's going to go. (You may have even unintentionally given me some more ideas to work in).**

**For anyone else who hasn't reviewed, that's okay. Your views mean the world to me. And one that note, let's get started!**

* * *

Chapter 3

"It's time for you to pay for the crimes you've committed." Mecha Cop pulled the Sneasel Ninja out of the car by her pigtail. She flinched in pain, carefully following his every movement to prevent her hair from getting tugged out. Mecha Cop approached the doors to the prison, until he faced the prison guard.

"Who're ya bringin' in this time?" the guard asked. He was flat-faced, with small blue eyes and a shaved head. Sneasel Ninja turned her eyes up in disgust, trying to squirm away from the prison gates.

"Can't you see? It's the Sneasel Ninja." Mecha Cop towed her forward, letting the prison guard get a better look.

"Ah, I see," The guard nodded, as Mecha Cop pulled Sneasel Ninja back, much to her gratitude. "But aren't you hurting her by pulling her by the hair?"

Mecha Cop looked back at the Sneasel Ninja, who decided to play to her advantage. She whimpered, bringing out her acting skills to gain pity, and hoping she would be able to free herself once he let go of her hair. He looked at her, eyes flittering around his hand covering her pigtail. He looked back up, with hard eyes. "Maybe," he finally decided. "But at least this way, I know she won't be able to escape."

Sneasel Ninja frowned at this. Why wouldn't he just let go of her already? They were almost inside— time was running short. She needed to get away before she entered her cell.

"Okay, you head on in." The prison guard stepped back, pushing open the door and letting Mecha Cop drag Sneasel Ninja in. "But make sure to put her in prison, got it?" the guard joked, smiling.

"Will do," said Mecha Cop, as he strode into the building. Once he had the Sneasel Ninja inside, he let go of her hair. Sneasel Ninja squirmed away from him, holding her pigtail to her chest as she glared.

"Sorry I had to do that, but my priority was getting you inside without a chance of you escaping," Mecha Cop said, apologetically. "Are you hurt?"

Sneasel Ninja glared back, annoyed as she clenched her hair. _I can't believe how stupid he is,_ she thought._ He expects me to forgive him for putting me in jail? Not a chance!_

"Sneasel Ninja?" Mecha Cop glanced back. "Are you okay?"

At that moment, the Sneasel Ninja turned tail and ran, too quickly for Mecha Cop's reflexes to catch her. _Now's my chance!_ She sprinted out the door, slamming it into the guard's face as he screamed in pain. She rushed away, down the street and into the nearest alleyway. She looked around the corner to see Mecha Cop yelling at the guard who Sneasel Ninja had hurt on her escape, and smiled. She snuck away, toward a different goal this time. By the time she was gone, Mecha Cop had no chance of finding her again for a long while...

_ Now, where did he live again...?_ The Sneasel Ninja crept through the alleyways, trying to retrace her steps toward Mecha Cop's home. It was over for fun and games. She needed to find some way to keep Mecha Cop from ever coming after her again. And what better way than through a hostage?

Sneasel Ninja leapt up to the familiar balcony of Mecha Cop's home. She knew he had a sister, and she knew he loved her very much. It was time to extract revenge through his beloved family member. By now, the Sneasel Ninja didn't care if she was caught. As long as she defeated Mecha Cop's sister and angered Mecha Cop, she didn't care what happened afterward.

Once inside, the Sneasel Ninja was greeted by a sweet looking girl with bright blue pigtails—Pollyanna, Mecha Cop's younger sister. Her eyes widened at the sight of the Sneasel Ninja.

Pollyanna screamed, reaching for the poke ball resting on the counter. "Go, Sewaddle!" she cried, sending out her Pokémon.

_ Tsk, this girl also uses Pokémon? _Sneasel Ninja thought as she sent out her trusty Sneasel. _I guess I'll have to bring her down the hard way..._

"Oh, you're the one my big brother was talking about," the girl mocked, indicating the Sneasel Ninja's Pokémon. "A petty thief, the Sneasel Ninja."

"So what?" Sneasel Ninja spat back. This girl was getting on her nerves. It would be best if she were eliminated. "Now I'll capture you!" She cried, triumphantly. _I mean, it's not like she'll be able to defend herself against me. She's just a little girl!_

"I have to warn you—I'm pretty strong," said Pollyanna, smiling happily. "'Cause I've been training with my big brother!" She smiled even wider at this, causing the Sneasel Ninja to glare back even more. Was she really that stupidly confident?

"Heh. This is not child's play!" the Sneasel Ninja warned. "This is the real deal—are you up for it?"

"I'll beat you and show my big brother how cool I am!" Pollyanna cried, pointing to her Pokémon. The Sewaddle puffed up its tiny chest, as if trying to show its manliness.

"Well well, isn't that a cute Pokémon!" the Sneasel Ninja said, a sickeningly sweet attitude glaring through her voice.

Pollyanna set her jaw firmly as she stood her ground. "I won't lose!"

"Sneasel, use sunny day!" Sneasel Ninja cried, shooting out her arm in a commanding manner. Her Sneasel shot rays of sun from her hands, causing the room to brighten and Pollyanna to look back, shading her eyes to prevent blindness.

"Flail, Sewaddle!" She cried desperately, in a hope her Pokémon could see through the brightness. When the sun died down, both Pollyanna and the Sneasel Ninja looked through to see neither Pokémon had been hurt.

Pollyanna glared back, thinking her way through. Finally, she shouted, "I can stop you with one hit using defense skills I learned from my big brother!"

"Oh, really?" the Sneasel Ninja mocked.

"Police judo! Hyah!" Pollyanna cried as she kicked her leg up into the Sneasel Ninja's face. Sneasel Ninja cried out as she hit the floor, holding her chin in pain.

"You are good... or... you're just better than I expected," she said, through gritted teeth as she tried to drive the pain away. "Anyway, you—you should battle with Pokémon." _Not with people you dumb twit._

"Oops, I forgot..." Pollyanna said, in a bouncing tone. She put her finger to her chin as she looked up innocently. _Oh, please,_ thought the Sneasel Ninja. _Why'd I have to go after someone like her?_

"I got upset, and without thinking I used..." Pollyanna murmured to herself quietly. _My brother said I can't kill her if I meet her. I just have to capture her... What a stupid brother._ "Humpf!" She cried in annoyance. "Well, I've also learned strategies for Pokémon battles from my brother!"

"Bring it!" Sneasel Ninja said, holding out her hand and motioning her to come forward.

"I'll show you the results of my special training!" Pollyanna cried. "Hang on, Sewaddle!"

"Aerial ace!" cried Sneasel Ninja.

"Endure it!" Pollyanna ordered back. When Sneasel was done with her attack, Sewaddle was still standing. Pollyanna smiled back triumphantly.

"Oh really? Check your ego at the door!" Sneasel Ninja mocked. _God, she's so... annoyingly confident, even when she has no right to be._

"Check your own ego!" Pollyanna spat back, sticking out her tongue. "My brother told me justice always prevails!"

"That's incorrect," said Sneasel Ninja, causing Pollyanna to stop in her tracks. Sneasel Ninja breathed in deeply, cold eyes meeting her bright and emotional ones. "The winner is always right, even if it is the villain. That's reality!"

"That's a lie!" Pollyanna cried.

"You'll see..." The Sneasel Ninja's eyes shifted as her face hardened. _Trust me, you'll see someday… Everyone does._

"My brother is right! I'll _prove_ it to you!" Pollyanna cried. "Now, Sewaddle use flail!"

Sewaddle attacked Sneasel, flailing violently. _She has no fear for her Pokémon!_ thought the Sneasel Ninja. _She's completely and utterly confident of her Pokémon. Something I never had…_ The Sneasel Ninja was snapped out of her thoughts as her Sneasel hit the floor, defeated.

"Tsk... you're quite good," said Sneasel Ninja as she pulled out her other Sneasel, sending her into the battlefield. _Thank goodness I brought two Pokémon…_

"I won't go easy on you!" Pollyanna cried, as a warning. "Sewaddle, use flail!"

Sewaddle full-on attacked Sneasel again and Sneasel hit the floor, swirls in her eyes. The battle had been quick—painless. And yet…

"Eeeeek! I lost to such a starry-eyed girl?!" Sneasel Ninja cried. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no… this can't be happening!_

"See? Justice always prevails!" Pollyanna cried, triumphantly. "My brother was right!"

"What…?" Sneasel Ninja breathed. "But… I did everything right. I was supposed to win! What did I do wrong…?"

"You underestimated the power of justice, Sneasel Ninja!" Pollyanna said, stepping forward. "And you underestimated the urge to do right."

"I don't care what I 'underestimated!'" Sneasel Ninja cried, shooting up with tears in her eyes. "But why do I always have to be the one who loses?" She pushed Pollyanna away as she ran out the balcony and into the street.

"Wait, Sneasel Ninja!" Pollyanna cried back. But Sneasel Ninja never came back. She was too busy running away from her fears, and running away from reality.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

**This is the final installment of the Mecha Cop movies! After this, we'll be taking a different route through Mecha Cop and Sneasel Ninja's story. I hope you enjoy this, it's very long compared to previous chapters.**

* * *

Chapter 4

Sneasel Ninja ran through the alleyways toward her home—scratch that, her old home. The crummy apartment wasn't much, but it was better than crying out in the streets. After all, Mecha Cop was still after her. She needed to get away, and fast.

She raced up to the door, running up the steps until she was met with bright yellow caution tape, blocking her apartment door. There was a paper note attached.

_ This apartment has been subject to search under warrant. It is evidence pertaining to a police case._

_ DO NOT ENTER_

"What...?" Sneasel Ninja breathed. _Guess they found me..._ she thought. _It's a good thing I wasn't here when it happened. But still... _She shook her head, deciding she didn't care what notices or caution tape they put on her home. It was her home—and her only. Sneasel Ninja entered anyway, ripping away the caution tape to grab the doorknob.

When she opened the door, she was met with Mecha Cop, sitting on her couch.

"I figured you would come anyways," he said, standing up and motioning his Escavalier to come forward. He was prepared. "After all, if it was anyone else, they would leave, thinking nothing of it. But you," He stepped forward, causing Sneasel Ninja to gulp as she stepped into the hall. "You would come in, never thinking it could possibly be a trap."

"Sneasel, come out!" She cried, pulling out her Pokémon as she fled down the stairs and out of the apartment.

"Aw, drat!" Mecha Cop ran after her, rushing down the stairs and out to the street. "Get back here!" He cried.

"Get away from me!" Sneasel Ninja cried, sprinting away. "Sneasel, use ice shard!"

Her Sneasel turned around, shooting out chunks of ice into Mecha Cop and his Pokémon. He ran after her anyways.

"Dammit!" The Sneasel Ninja cried, tripping over her feet. "Stop following me!"

"Escavalier, use quick attack." Mecha Cop ordered. His Escavalier immediately appeared next to Sneasel, attacking and sending Sneasel shooting into her trainer.

"Ack!" cried Sneasel Ninja as her Pokémon hit her in the face. She slammed into the wall behind her as well, leaving her dazed.

"The handcuff launcher! Amputen, fuego!" Mecha Cop ordered, causing as explosion to ricochet from his arm toward Sneasel Ninja.

"Yeeek!" She cried, barely dodging it. The weapon left a hole in a building behind her. "Stop it!"

Mecha Cop ran toward her, anyway, forcing Sneasel Ninja to pick herself up and dash down another street.

"How many times do I have to say it? Get away from me!" Sneasel Ninja cried. "Sneasel, use roar!"

Her Sneasel whirled around, not only roaring but blowing Mecha Cop and his Escavalier back. They were farther down, now, giving Sneasel Ninja a chance to escape. However, just as she turned another corner, a blast exploded right next to her.

"Eeeek!" she screamed as she and her Sneasel took cover from the explosion. Finally, the dust cleared, and Mecha Cop was looming over them. Sneasel Ninja's face went pale, but she forced herself to stay calm. Or at least as calm as possible.

"W-what was that for?" She croaked. "Why can't you leave me alone?"

"You are a fugitive and a criminal," Mecha Cop stated, in a cutting tone. "I'm not letting you go anywhere but jail."

Sneasel Ninja glared back at him, while slowly backing away. If she could only get out of town...

"The birdlime machine gun! Apunten fuego!" Suddenly, another weapon went off. Sneasel Ninja whimpered in pain as she brought her hand up, noticing he had grazed her collarbone. When she brought her hand back it had blood on it.

"A-again?" She demanded, holding out her bloody palm. "You used a weapon again! You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?"

"Sorry about that. I just wanted to try it out..." Mecha Cop said apologetically, trailing off toward the end. _Well, at least I didn't hurt her too much. She was just being so difficult, I had to do something!_

_ A guy like this is the champion of justice?_ Sneasel Ninja thought to herself._ How appalling..._

"Well, I've got you cornered, Sneasel Ninja! Surrender!" Mecha Cop cried. She had no chance of getting away now, with that wound. Maybe it was better that he used his weapon...?

Sneasel Ninja sighed, thinking. _Well, he's beaten me every time before. He knows where I live. He hurt me, so that'll slow me down when I try to leave..._ "Hey Mecha Cop," she said, causing him to perk up. "Yeah, you got me... So will you grant me my last request?"

"Well, what is it?" Mecha Cop asked. _It better not be something like "Set me free!" or whatever..._

"Battle me!" the Sneasel Ninja pleaded. Mecha Cop looked at her for a second, not certain what to do. Then, he looked into her eyes and realized something. She was desperate to be given a chance. After all, once she was put in jail, she would never get to battle him again.

"In recognition of you as my archenemy, Sneasel Ninja," Mecha Cop started. "Challenge accepted! Let's battle! Sequence d'activation! Action!"

Sneasel Ninja smiled, bringing forth her Sneasel as Mecha Cop motioned for his Escavalier to come forward as well.

"HQ to Mecha Cop, HQ to Mecha Cop," Mecha Cop's radio buzzed. He pulled it out, listening. "Arrest the criminal as soon as possible."

"Sneasel, use swagger!" Sneasel Ninja cried, smiling as she took the lead in the battle. Her Sneasel did so, angering Escavalier yet confusing it as well.

"Escavalier, eat your persim berry," said Mecha Cop. Escavalier did so, snapping itself out of confusion. "Now, use twinneedle!"

Escavalier attacked, causing Sneasel to faint immediately. But Sneasel Ninja only smiled, drawing back her Sneasel into its ball as she sent out another Sneasel.

"Ready to rock, Mecha Cop?" She asked, grinning.

"Bring it! This battle is for keeps!" Mecha Cop smiled back, motioning her to come forward.

"Heh. It's been a long time since I've had so much fun battling..." Sneasel Ninja said, thinking to herself. She smiled at this, realizing what she had been missing out on.

Mecha Cop looked back at her. She looked just like a little kid when first learning how to battle. _Is that really Sneasel Ninja? _he thought. _She seems so different, now that she's not trying to steal. Maybe... _"I labeled every criminal a villain," Mecha Cop said in realization. "Once someone has a label slapped onto them, that label becomes a signpost of how to treat them..." _But that shouldn't be the case, should it? That childish smile says at least that much. _"Thinking about it... Sneasel Ninja," She looked up at him, her smile disappearing. "Once I labeled you as a villain, I no longer treated you like a human being. _But criminals are still human beings._"

_ Huh? What..._ Sneasel Ninja wanted to interrupt, but... what if Mecha Cop was right? _What if I still deserve to be a human?_

"Their crimes may be unforgivable, but their human dignity must still be respected," Mecha Cop continued. "Or there would be no way to tell the difference between justice and injustice..."

"Mecha cop...?" Sneasel Ninja asked, tentatively.

"Justice... Real justice..." he said, holding his hand in a fist as he looked down. "That I can believe in."

"HQ to Mecha Cop, HQ to Mecha Cop," the radio buzzed again. "We have dispatched riot police. Cooperate with them, and carry out the mission."

"Sneasel, use low kick!" Sneasel Ninja ordered. Her Sneasel immediately swiped Escavalier down from his feet.

"Twinneedle!" Mecha Cop cried. Escavalier easily finished off Sneasel with his supereffective attack.

"I was trapped in a mechanical framework of justice..." Mecha Cop said, trailing off. "You've woken me up. Sneasel Ninja..."

"W-what are you trying to say...?" she asked, hesitating but finally getting out her message.

"But you are a thief, and I cannot forgive your crimes." Mecha Cop shook his head. Then, he looked back up. "But, if you pay for your crimes, then together, we—"

"Say no more!" Sneasel Ninja cried, holding her head. _Please, please, please... Don't say it. Don't ever say it! _"Sneasel, come on out and use low kick!" She cried as she tossed out her poke ball.

"Escavalier, use twinneedle."

Mecha Cop's Escavalier attacked more quickly, leaving Sneasel on the ground without ever landing an attack on Escavalier.

Suddenly, people in police uniforms arrived, running up and forming a circle around Mecha Cop and Sneasel Ninja as Sneasel Ninja sent out another Pokémon.

"Riot police have arrived..." Mecha Cop said, quietly.

"Low kick!" Sneasel Ninja cried. Her Sneasel this time was quicker, landing an attack before Escavalier was ordered.

"Twinneedle," said Mecha Cop. Mecha Cop's Escavalier took down Sneasel with one hit.

"Woot! We'll catch the Sneasel Ninja!" cried one of the cops, stepping forward with handcuffs in his hand.

"I think not..." said the Sneasel Ninja, carefully backing away as the cop came forward. "I'll never be captured by the likes of you!"

"Stop!" Mecha Cop ordered. The cop froze in his tracks as he turned to Mecha Cop. "Even when facing a villain, it's not fair to interrupt a one-on-one Pokémon battle! For shame!"

"W-we're sorry Mecha Cop..." the cop said, backing into his friend and shoving them until they nodded as well.

"Heh! No kidding!" Sneasel Ninja said, laughing a bit. "Everyone wants a free pass to get away with unfair things like that! After all, what you call justice is..." she held her gaze to Mecha Cop, and her face darkened for a second. "Obsolete."

"That's not true!" Mecha Cop cried, stepping forward to grab Sneasel Ninja's shoulders. He looked her straight in the eye. "Whenever, whatever, and whoever makes the effort to do the right thing—he or she can be a champion of justice! Know what, Sneasel Ninja? You're no exception yourself."

They stood for a second, Mecha Cop waiting for Sneasel Ninja to respond and Sneasel Ninja stunned, unable to move. _He... he... he's giving me a chance...? After everything I've done?_ She shook her head as she pushed him away. _No, that can't be true. It can't be!_

"Sneasel, use low kick!" she cried.

"Twinneedle."

Escavalier attacked Sneasel, easily finishing her off. Sneasel Ninja grabbed her last poké ball from her belt—a Weavile—and sent it in. It was the only one she owned, and it was her last chance. After all, Escavalier was getting tired. All she needed to do was attack first—

"Escavalier, finish her off with twinneedle!"

Suddenly, though, Sneasel Ninja's world was turned upside down when her Weavile fainted.

_ I can't believe..._

"Calling all members! Apprehend the Sneasel Ninja immediately!"

_ I was so close..._

Every cop that had been waiting ran toward Sneasel Ninja, bringing out their guns and handcuffs, and preparing for the worst.

"Wait." Mecha Cop held up a hand to stop the police officers. "She won't run away anymore... Right...? Sneasel Ninja...?"

Sneasel Ninja looked up, smiling gratefully. "Tee hee hee..." she laughed half-heatedly, mostly to act like herself. She couldn't lose her dignity. "I lost, Mecha Cop..."

"Mission accomplie," said Mecha Cop, offering a hand to the Sneasel Ninja. "Now, Sneasel Ninja, it's time for you to pay for your crimes. Ready to turn over a new leaf?"

They looked at each other, finally understanding some of what the other had went through. Sneasel Ninja bowed her head, placing her hand on Mecha Cop's, as she stepped forward.

"...Thanks..."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**

**So, I've been having an argument. You'd think that if I have a sister who constantly reads fanfiction when she's not supposed to, sneaking it in during homework and class time, that she would be totally supportive of me writing a fanfiction, and would want to read all the chapters that have been finished but not posted yet. Surprisingly enough, that is not the case! She hasn't read any of this story yet. Sorry if this was too off topic, and please don't try to find her and hunt her down a murder her, because that's not nice. I just wanted to get that out. Plus, it's her own punishment for not reading.**

**Anyways, here is the first chapter after the Mecha Cop movies ended. Try to follow this well, there's lots of background info on what happened in between the conclusion of the movies and the scene we're in now. Take note, pay attention, and don't skip anything. (I know that dialogue is so much more important to me when I read, but then I miss out on important details later!)**

**Also, we will finally reveal Sneasel Ninja's true name and I can start referring to her properly in these author's notes. I don't know about you, but I'm super excited for it!**

**Thank you so much for your support! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 5

She laid on the top bunk bed, her long hair flowing past her waist. It was weird-once she had stopped wearing pigtails her hair seemed a lot longer. And her brunette hair really did compliment the burnt orange jumpsuit she wore as a prisoner. (Really, it did!) Or at least, more so than most of the others. Once, she had thought that prisoners wore the grey and white striped jumpsuits, like in movies, but that was not the case here. It was probably just in case a prisoner escaped. If so, then they would be easy to spot. (I mean, who wouldn't be easy to spot in something so horrible?)

She sighed. What had life come to these days? Certainly nothing to write home about. She was a prisoner—that was all. She ate breakfast and dinner, exercised in between, then slept for hours on end. She never even got mail, like some of the other prisoners did, except once, and even that had only been a letter about her past. She never responded. And she had been in this hellhole for five years.

It hurt to be trapped that long. She wanted out—or at least some hope—even a semblance of hope—of getting out. But no, her sentence was a life-long sentence, and no amount of bail could get her out. No amount of persuasion or appeals to a higher court. (She had admitted with a guilty plea.) She would stay here for the rest of eternity, it seemed…

She shook her head quickly. _Gosh, I am so pathetic,_ she thought. She needed to get out of this self-pitying stage. _I won't—no, I can't—allow myself to be depressed anymore. I'll think about happy things! Like…_ But she couldn't think of a single thing to cheer herself up. She was beginning to think she had severe signs of depression again, like the other prisoners.

"Sneasel Ninja, you have a visitor," said one of the guards. _What the… _She sat up, hopping down from her high bed and rubbing her eyes.

"Okay, I got it," she said, turning toward the bars._ Who could be here for me?_ She thought. But she couldn't see anyone other than the usual guard. "Where is it?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, he's right here," said the guard, motioning next to him. "I'll go now. You got this handled?"

"Yeah," said a voice. The girl flinched at this voice—she knew who it was. This was _that voice._ The one that had so casually tricked her into living in this hellhole for so long. The one that had promised her a better life, only to forget and toss her to the side like an unwanted plaything. And, as Mecha Cop stepped into view, her fears were confirmed. _How dare he…_

He looked different. She supposed after five years he would, but... He looked exhausted. Older. More stressed. His eyes were no longer the same bright, justice filled eyes she had grown used to. They had grown a duller shade of blue over the years. _Of course, it shouldn't matter anyways, _she thought, snapping herself out of her surprise. _The traitor._

"Hello," he said, extending his hand through the bars of her cell. "How have you—"

"What do you want?" she spat, walking away.

"Wait—"

"You think after five years you can come back and I'll be the same person?" she snapped, glaring murderously. "I'll be the same idealistic girl who thinks that a few years in prison might be good for me? The same girl who thinks that I'll change for the better? The same person who thinks I'll change because you'll help me?" She stopped, just for a second, long enough to wipe her newly watered eyes. "You may think so but I'll tell you what, I'll tell you the truth. Those last few years have been _torture_."

"But—"

"I can't do anything without people getting suspicious that I'll escape. I've tried to be a proper citizen that's just serving her sentence but I can't when everyone is reminded of the fact that I'm not. I'm getting clinical depression and I've started having nervous breakdowns sometimes and when I'm alone I feel safe but I feel like a goddamn pet and I just can't take it!"

"Wait, Sneasel Nin—"

"Don't call me that!" she cried, grabbing the bars of her cage. "I'm not the Sneasel Ninja anymore, am I?" she asked, holding out her arms. "I'm a completely different person. For better or for worse."

"Oh... Well, I just—"

"You just what? Remembered I'm _in_ this godforsaken place?"

"I've been busy, in case you didn't know!" Mecha Cop shot back, cutting her off from her rampage. "There were... other villains. Different... not like you."

"Oh?" she asked quietly. "How so?"

"They didn't understand my intentions. I couldn't make them."

"And you're saying you made me understand?" she cried. "Because I sure thought I did but then you never came to help me know what I was supposed to do and how I was supposed to 'turn over a new leaf' and so I've been _stuck here_ wondering what on earth I'm _supposed_ to do since _no one ever actually told me_!" She stopped, catching her breath, before she turned her head to the side.

Mecha Cop stepped back, shocked. _Wow, she really has changed..._ he thought to himself. _Before, she would never have blown up like this. She must have been harboring all this emotion ever since... ever since I left her here... five years ago..._

"What happened to you...?" he asked, sincerely.

"What do you think? I just told you, weren't you listening?"

"Well, um, if I cannot call you Sneasel Ninja," she flinched at the name. "Then what can I call you?"

She turned around, facing the cell wall, and looked down, remembering...

_ "Hey, don't go that far."_

_ "But I wanna see what's behind there!"_

_ "Well, okay, but be careful..."_

_ "AAAIIEEEE!"_

_ "!"_

_ "Momma?"_

_ "Come back!"_

_ ..._

_ ..._

_ ..._

_ "Hello, Valette..."_

"Sneasel Ninja?" called Mecha Cop, snapping her out from her thoughts.

"Valette," she said, warily. "Call me… Valette."

"Okay, so, Valette..."

"Can you leave?" she asked softly, staring at the floor. "I... I want to be alone."

"Oh, okay..." said Mecha Cop, backing away. Her hunched figure told more than he needed to know. "I felt bad, since I hadn't come over. I… did you want to battle again, or something? Like old times, you know?"

Valette took a shaky breath, still staring down at her hands. "No, no thanks," she said quietly. "I don't have anything left to fight for."

"Well…" started Mecha Cop. But he saw how Sneasel Nin—Valette, rather—was shaking. She had finally calmed down from her anger, but it had been replaced with sadness. Her voice seemed full of feelings of betrayal. "Maybe later."

He turned and left.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**

**So sorry that this chapter is very short! I wasn't planning on releasing it until tomorrow, but I was accepted to college today and couldn't hold back from giving you all such a gift! I hope you enjoy it, and wish everyone who plans on applying in the future (or has applied) the best of luck getting in! It's a very stressful process, but so worth it once you finally get accepted.**

* * *

Chapter 6

"He's back," said the guard, Henry, whom Valette had grown rather fond of. He was familiar, and familiarity had always been a comfort in her life.

"What?" barked Valette, from her bunk bed. She was sitting with her back against the wall by the door, looking out her small window. It was the same dull sight every day. "Tell him I don't want to see him."

"I-it's too late for that…" said the prison guard, hesitantly. "He's already here."

"Tell him to leave," she replied harshly. "Tell him I would like to have no business whatsoever with him, that he doesn't mean anything to me, and that if he doesn't leave I still won't talk to him."

"Well that's alright," said Mecha Cop. Valette glared at the window. She clearly didn't want to see him anymore, after what had happened last time. Mecha Cop sighed. Had he expected this to be easy, after all that time? "I just wanted to drop something off."

"What?" Valette jumped down from the bed, walking toward the door. She tried to stop herself, but her curiosity got the best of her.

"I said I wanted to drop something off," repeated Mecha Cop, smiling. He was happy she had changed her mind about talking to him. "Though it's a good thing you came to pick it up. I was unsure you wanted it."

"Well, what is it?" asked Valette, irritated as she crossed her arms. Mecha Cop reached into his trench coat and brought about a large piece of dark, folded cloth. Valette took it from him hesitantly, between the bars.

"I was cleaning up the house, and found this," he said, indicating the cloth. "It's your old outfit."

Valette broke a little inside as she unraveled it. The same black cloak, tights, skirt, shirt… Everything was how it was from the day she went to jail. Her mask even fell out, flittering to the ground before she had a chance to pick it up. She bent to grab it, and looked at it for a moment. It was plain black, with a ribbon to tie around the head, but she remembered it as so much more. The slight creases and fading were the only indication of how old it was.

But the outfit reminded her of things. It reminded her of trying to steal the dynamatronic machine, of tricking Mecha Cop on the beach, of fighting Pollyanna. It reminded her of her mother, or rather, the person she called "mother." It reminded her of Castelia's dark alleys. It reminded her of lying and crying and stealing and cheating and everything terrible and wonderful about her former self. And most of all, it reminded her of losing, and the feeling of defeat. The crushing pain and endless tears of what she had to go through, all because of this _one outfit._ This outfit that was a part of her, despite how much she changed. It reminded her of everything about who she was, and why she was in this place now, and why she hadn't changed—not truly—but why she wanted to so much. And, oh God, it reminded her of Mecha Cop, and his warm, friendly gaze that was never to be seen again and how she had waited and waited for him to come back and help and—

"I don't want it," she said, holding the outfit through the bars of her cell. She breathed deeply, trying to keep the tears away.

"You don't?" asked Mecha Cop, reaching for the fabric. "But, it's your only connection to being Sneasel Ninj—"

"I'm not Sneasel Ninja!" cried Valette. It was too late; the tears had already come.

"I-I'm sorry, I just thought that you might have wanted it," said Mecha Cop, trying to apologize. "I'll go now…" Mecha Cop turned around to leave, hailing the guard to lock up again.

"You know something?" asked Valette, keeping Mecha Cop from leaving. He stopped the guard, even though he was halfway to leaving the cell. "Every day, I wake up and look out through that same, dull window. And wish I could leave."

Mecha Cop stared at her. She was no longer crying, but her face was still tear-stained from before.

"I sometimes plot to escape in my head, before I remember I'm not supposed to. You see, this man, a while ago, said that if I stayed in prison I would learn. I'd be able to pay for my crimes and turn over a new leaf. I'd become a different person.

"But I've tried to be a different person and there are just some things I can't let go of. It's so stuffy and claustrophobic in here, so I plan to escape, only to stop myself at the last minute when I realize what I'm doing." She breathed in deeply. The tears were coming again. She tried to push them away but they were starting to escape once again. "I don't want to be Sneasel Ninja anymore, I want to be Valette—I want to be myself. But who am I? Am I a thief? Am I a hero? Do I even have a purpose in life, or is it that I can't fulfill it unless I'm free?"

Mecha Cop looked down at her as she bent to the ground, with sympathetic eyes. He felt horrible for her. She was stuck; she didn't know what to do. _I guess this is the stage I left her in, when I never came back, _he thought. _She's in between good and evil, and she doesn't know which path to take anymore. She's trying to rearrange her ideals and morals, but the only thing she knows is that she can't be who she was. What does that make her now?_

"I'm sorry," he said, squatting down to look Valette in the eyes. He was regretting his odd decision to leave her tenfold. "I forgot that sometimes, people need a guide to help them along the way."

"I don't need a guide," Valette scoffed.

"Yes, you do," said Mecha Cop. "That was supposed to be my job, but then I never came back to fulfill it. I'm sorry."

Valette looked at Mecha cop. He was so sure of himself now; nothing like the uneasy character she had met with last time. "You'll help me?" she asked, hopeful.

Mecha Cop nodded, and Valette smiled. Maybe she would find her way after all.


	7. Chapter 7-8

**A/N:**

**Hello all! It shall be Christmas break, and I have a wonderful surprise for you: two chapters at once! I know this may be confusing, but bear with me. Chapter 7 is really short. Chapter 8 is also really short, but I didn't know how to extend both of them and felt bad about giving you all such short chapters lately. So, I am giving both to you at once. They are both labelled as whichever chapters they are, and the next post will be Chapter 9. I honestly just don't want to re-label all the chapters.**

**I may or may not be posting over winter break. It depends on how much time I have to continue writing. I will need to catch up, since I'm posting both of these at once.**

**Thank you for your patience. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7

"Hey, Henry," said Mecha Cop, lightly.

"What?" asked Henry. "I can tell by that vibrant, helpful gaze you want something." He crossed his arms. "So spill it."

"Okay, look," Mecha Cop started. "I need to take Sneas—sorry, Valette—out for a bit. Is that okay?"

"Pffff!" Henry laughed, covering his mouth. "Are you kidding? Of course not! She's a prisoner! I'm not allowed to let a single one out of my sight."

"And you can see them all from here?" Mecha Cop asked, sarcastically. He smiled. He hadn't touched his sarcastic side in a long time.

Henry frowned, clearly not pleased. "I'm not letting her out."

"But she will be with me the entire time," said Mecha Cop. "Please?"

"No."

"Oh, come on."

"No means no."

"But why not—"

"I said _NO!"_ Henry calmed down as he looked at Mecha Cop. Mecha Cop frowned, annoyed, but was trying to hold it together.

He breathed deeply, sighing. "Okay, fine…" he said as he turned to walk away. He turned back, looking at Henry. "I'm leaving now…"

Mecha Cop turned around and headed out, looking back when he got halfway. "I'm serious. I'm really leaving." He walked another couple steps. "I'm not asking again." He got to the door and turned around.

"Good, I don't want you to," said Henry. "But…"

"But?" Mecha Cop perked up.

Henry looked to Mecha Cop. Geez, what was up with those bright, shiny eyes? He looked like a kid in a candy store. Just the thought of being able to let Valette out had done that to him? Maybe… "…Okay, fine." Henry pulled out his keys as he headed toward Valette's cell. "But if she yells at you again, that's not my fault. And if she escapes, same thing."

Mecha Cop smiled, blue eyes glinting. "Thank you," he said, sincerely, as they started to walk together toward the cell. They walked through various halls, heading to the more secure prison cell Valette lived in. Once they arrived, Mecha Cop, looked in cautiously.

"Valette?" he asked.

Valette sat up from her bed. What had she just been doing? Oh right, she had been dozing off. She rubbed her eyes groggily as she stepped toward the bars of her cell. "What is it?" she asked.

"I have a surprise for you," started Mecha Cop. Valette looked up. "But first, you need to promise one thing: you have to be good, okay?"

Valette bit her lip. "Kinda hard to do that when no one ever taught me what 'good' was."

_Okay, so she clearly hasn't gotten over the whole me-leaving-her business… Good to know._ "Well," he started, not sure how to define "good." Finally, he decided to just paraphrase the rules. "If I say something is bad, you have to stop. Got it?"

Valette nodded. "So what's my surprise, then?" she asked.

Mecha Cop grinned. "Now, that's the best part! You get to have a break from your little cell."

_What…?_ thought Valette, shocked. _I… I can't even imagine what he's planning. Knowing him, it could be anything._

Henry stepped forward and turned his keys in the lock of Valette's door, allowing the barred door to swing forward. Valette looked at the open door for a while, not sure what to do, as Mecha Cop motioned for her to come forward. She hesitated. All this freedom coming at once? What was she supposed to make of this? After all, her sentence was far from over, and Mecha Cop wasn't so powerful a being as to re-write her punishment. And yet… she could feel that he truly wanted to. Maybe that was just her own opinion—what she wanted to happen, and what she wanted to think. But what if it was the truth? Did Mecha Cop forgive her enough to want her to be freed? Did he think she could still change her ways and together, they could—

No, what was she thinking? She stared at the line between confinement and freedom, and for just a moment, she didn't want to cross it. Here it was, handed to her on a silver platter, but was it truly better than what she had? Valette had never heard the last of Mecha Cop's words that day—she had cut him off. But now, thinking back on it, what would he have said? She wished now that she had let him continue on, finish the sentence. But what if she didn't like the ending? What if she never would? What were Mecha Cop's true feelings about her—about Sneasel Ninja?

"Would you like to come?' prompted Henry, snapping Valette out of her thoughts. She was glad to be brought back to reality—she could do something worthwhile here. But now, she had to cross that dreaded line. She wavered for a moment, lifting her leg up to cross it. Her fingers trembled as her foot landed safely on the other side, and she saw a smile tug at Mecha Cop's lip. Finally, she placed her hand in Mecha Cop's outstretched one, and he pulled her to the other side of the door.

"Okay listen, Mecha Cop," said Henry, as he closed the door the Valette's cell. "She has to be back here by the time the prison closes, okay?"

Mecha Cop nodded gratefully, as he pulled Valette out of the building. Valette stared, her brown eyes wide as she passed by the familiar and unfamiliar corridors of the prison, leading toward the exit. Finally, they reached the final door, separating them from the real world. Another line, another boundary to cross. But this time, she didn't hesitate as Mecha Cop tugged her through the door, into the world beyond.

* * *

Chapter 8

Valette followed Mecha Cop through the streets, toward a tall building. He opened the main door, waving her through, and led her to an elevator. The elevator was lined with mirrors, and for the first time in a long while, Valette looked at herself.

She was more haggard than she remembered. Her brown eyes were fatigued, as if ready to give up. Her hair was duller than it used to be. Her body looked like it never wanted to stand again. Suddenly, she realized that Mecha cop had not been the only one to change so drastically between the five years she had been in jail. She had changed as well—had changed into a more desperate state. No wonder Mecha Cop had been surprised when he first saw her after so long. Valette looked about ready to give in, and never fight again.

The doors opened on the fifth floor, and Valette and Mecha Cop were met with a small hallway. Mecha Cop walked out, forcing Valette to stagger behind him, until he came to another room. When he opened the door, Valette finally saw what Mecha Cop had wanted to show her.

It was a large room, perfect for Pokémon battling. There was a hardwood floor surrounded by lightly paneled brown walls, and the Pokémon battle ring drawn into the wood near the center. Did Mecha Cop want to battle again, after so long?

"What do you think?" Mecha Cop asked, as he stepped into the room.

Valette simply stared at him, bewildered. How could he do this—was he itching for a real Pokémon battle, after so long, or did he just want to facilitate a reaction from her?

"I… don't know what to think," she replied, in all honesty. She looked back up at Mecha Cop, but he only smiled at her confused reaction. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

Mecha Cop entered into the wood-floored room, holding the door for Valette as she crept behind him. "Don't worry," he said as he crossed the room, to a finished, dusty trunk on the other side of the room. "This isn't even the half of it." He bent down to open the trunk, before realizing that Valette was still immobilized by the doorway, just trying to take everything in. The room was so much cleaner than anything from prison. He motioned for her to come forward, and as she started to stride to the trunk, he opened the clasp and threw the trunk open. Inside of it were six poké balls, with a dull gleam. Valette stepped toward them, staring at the flecks of dust that had settled onto them.

"Are those…?" she started, wonder filling her eyes.

Mecha Cop nodded. "Yes. All of them."

Valette's heart broke as she fell onto her knees, grasping the old poké balls. She threw one into the center of the room, releasing a Sneasel. It blinked, looking around, before its eye found Valette and it squealed with glee. The Sneasel ran to Valette, throwing its small arms around her neck. Valette wrapped her arms tightly around the Sneasel in return, holding it to her as if she would never let it go. _I can't believe he saved them… and all six too,_ she thought. _I could have sworn he would have released them back into the wild. After all, I never expected to see them again…_

After a long hug, Valette decided to release the rest of her old Pokémon from their balls. After all, it wasn't fair to let one of them hug her while the other five had to watch. They tackled her, creating a huge dog pile in the middle of the room. Weavile sat on top, acting like the queen she was.

When Valette looked up at Mecha cop, he was smiling. _Smiling._ Smiling down at her as she lay, trapped by her old friends that she had left behind. And there was that spark in his eyes again. It was small, still dormant under his fatigued self, but it was there. He blinked again, and turned his head to face away from Valette, but she smiled anyways. _I never thought…_ She shook her head once more as a Sneasel jumped onto her face, shrieking with delight.

* * *

"Now that you've calmed down, I'll say what I wanted to in the first place," said Mecha Cop. Valette nodded, and looked to her Pokémon sitting by her sides. Her Weavile was 1st in command, by her left, followed by the Sneasels. They all nodded in return. "Well, uh," Mecha Cop paused for a bit, thinking, before he turned back to Valette. "How do I say this?"

"Why did you save them?" Valette asked, causing Mecha Cop to turn to her. She was petting her Weavile on its head. "I mean, I wasn't expecting to see them again, so…" she trailed off, before looking back at Mecha Cop. He was speechless. "How did you know that you would get to return them to me?"

"I didn't, not really," Mecha Cop started to explain. "This was what I was getting to, but…"

"But?" Valette prompted.

Mecha Cop stared at her for a bit, realizing he couldn't say what he wanted to. Not at the moment, at least. She seemed so cheerful and happy, but then again, she had always been a master at hiding her feelings, unless caught off guard or the like. _I can't even imagine what she's been through for the last five years, and it would be selfish of me to throw everything down on her the moment she comes back. Besides…_ he took a deep breath. "Well, I just… knew, okay?" He relaxed a bit as he forced the half-truth from his lips.

Valette nodded, in understanding. _I get that there's something he's not telling me yet, but… I guess I'll figure it out sooner or later._


	8. Chapter 9

**A/N:**

**I'm sorry I didn't update over the break, but I was out of town with family for a week. Also, I finally got Pokemon X, and started binge-playing it through the night, beating the Elite Four in four days. I think that's a record for me! But I finally have this chapter out, and it's very long, too! That longest chapter yet, in fact.**

**I realized I haven't been thankful enough lately, so I want to shout out to all my readers and reviewers. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story, and I hope it continues to entertain you.**

* * *

Chapter 9

After Mecha Cop brought Valette back to the prison, her happy mood faded again. Just one look at the dreary grey walls and she was back to being depressed, no matter how much she tried to think of her Pokémon's smile when they had hugged her only moments ago. Mecha Cop noticed right away, of course, but since he couldn't exactly take her out of prison for good, he settled on reminding himself to take her out again. Once Valette was placed safely into her prison cell, Mecha Cop strode off, giving a simple backhanded wave.

Valette was left staring out her small window again, only freshly reminded of how different the outside world was. _All I would have to do would be to get Mecha Cop to take me out again, then I could trick him and flee for good and—_Valette shook herself out of her escape plan. _Stop,_ she reminded herself. _You can't do that anymore. It's bad._

And yet how she longed to be bad, if only for an instant. _This is the punishment I get for being legal? I get to stay in jail for good? I'd almost rather escape and be illegal and hunted again. Almost._ But she knew that escaping wouldn't lead her to anything but her old self again, the Sneasel Ninja. And she was sick of being the Sneasel Ninja.

Valette leaned back into her bed, staring at the ceiling. _At least I don't have to be constantly afraid and paranoid. Not that I'm not paranoid even now, but I don't _have_ to be._

Slowly, Valette drifted to sleep.

* * *

A week later, Mecha Cop appeared in front of Valette's cell door again with Henry. Mecha Cop nudged Henry, and he sighed, unlocking Valette's door and letting her cross the floor toward Mecha Cop.

"I thought you weren't taking me out again," Valette said, hesitantly.

"It's only for a bit," Mecha Cop said, taking Valette's shoulder and steering her away from her cell. "Remember the rules."

"Nothing bad," Valette said. "And if I need to ask, then it's probably bad."

Mecha Cop smiled slightly, leading her out of the prison and into the daylight. He then took her to the same tall building, led her up the same mirrored elevator, and into the room with the wood paneling and battle circle. Slowly, Valette crossed the room and took out her Pokémon, and they tackled her gleefully again.

"I noticed something after you left," Mecha Cop said, causing Valette to face him. "Your Pokémon were much stronger after you hugged them. They were practically bouncing in their Poké balls when you left."

"Really?" Valette asked, surprised.

"Yes," Mecha Cop confirmed. "But their energy slowly waned as time went on. And now, they're back to being happy—perhaps even more excitable than before… so, I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Valette asked, hugging her Weavile tightly.

"Will you battle me again?"

Valette froze, and for once Mecha Cop saw that she knew what she would be getting into. And she didn't want it. She didn't want the chance to battle Mecha Cop, even if she had grown and changed already during the past few years. She didn't want the chance to stand up for herself. Was she so afraid of losing again, or was it something else?

"Do you not want to?" Mecha Cop asked. Valette shook her head, and her Sneasels huddled closer to her body. He sucked in a breath, hating himself for what he was about to say. "Well then, I guess you won't be seeing your Pokémon anymore. They aren't meant for enjoyment."

Valette's heart dropped. _He wouldn't… _she thought, clutching her Pokémon tightly. But in truth, she knew he would. He would, guaranteed, keep her from seeing her Pokémon again, and she wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

"But…"

"Answer me now," Mecha Cop said harshly, trying to keep his voice from trembling. _Oh god, why do I have to be the bad guy? _ "Will you battle me?"

Valette glared at Mecha Cop. She didn't want to battle, and he knew it. She was playing a dangerous game. This was risky. If she said no and he broke down, unable to keep her from seeing her Pokémon, then she would win. But if she said no and he really did keep her away from her Pokémon, which she thought he would, then she would lose. And if she battled him, he would win. He would knock out her Pokémon in a heartbeat, and she couldn't stand to see her Pokémon weakened in front of her. _But there's also a fourth option… in which I battle and I win… but that's never happened before, and it probably won't. And yet…_

"Fine."

"What?" Mecha Cop asked, taken aback.

"Fine, I'll battle you," Valette repeated.

"Good," Mecha Cop sighed, relieved. He held his head in his hand. "But you should know that if you lose, I'll also take your Pokémon."

"WHAT?"

"I said I would take your Pokémon if you lose," Mecha Cop repeated, trying not to cringe at himself. _I'm such a horrible person…_ "So don't lose, and you'll be just fine."

"But I've never won against you!" Valette cried.

"Well then, now would be a great place to start," Mecha Cop said, pulling a single Poké ball from his belt. "Don't you think? Now let's go, Escavalier!" Mecha Cop tossed his poke ball out, revealing the same Escavalier that had beaten Valette, or rather Sneasel Ninja, on their last battle. Five years ago.

"What?" Valette cried. "That's not fair! You beat me in this same match-up last time!"

"Really?" asked Mecha Cop, sarcastically. "I don't remember that. After all, it was so long ago. Much has changed."

Valette bit back a curse as she brought forward a Sneasel. "Liar," she spat.

"No, that can't be it," he said. "Maybe I'm only speaking the truth."

"Well I remember it perfectly—as vivid as if it happened yesterday," Valette said. "You were standing there and I was standing here—well, not actually here in this room here, but anyways—and I begged you to battle, yet I sadly lost due to your type advantage."

"Are you sure it wasn't your inability to win at the time?" Mecha Cop asked.

"What—"

"Let me finish," Mecha Cop interrupted. "The reason you lost wasn't because of a type match-up, although that may be your excuse. The reason you lost was because you didn't believe you could win. You knew, in your heart, that you would lose no matter what, and so you did. But in this battle, you have something more important riding on the outcome. You know exactly what will happen if you lose. Do you think you will lose this time?"

"Probably," Valette answered honestly.

"See, that's the wrong answer," said Mecha Cop critically. "That answer is exactly why I'm going to win this battle, and you won't ever see your Pokémon again."

"But you can't just take them away!" Valette protested. "You just said that they were happier after seeing me!"

Mecha Cop frowned at himself. "…Maybe, but if you cannot win a single Pokémon battle, I would have to say that you aren't taking good enough care of your Pokémon. Which means that they should be taken away from you."

"This is ridiculous!"

"If you don't want to battle, I can take your Pokémon and we'll call it a day," said Mecha Cop.

"No," Valette said sternly. "I'm not letting you have them."

"Then prove it," Mecha Cop said, stepping forward. "Battle me and win."

"Fine!" Valette cried, finally stepping to her end of the Pokémon battling ring. "Sneasel, use brick break!"

"Escavalier, use protect." Valette's Sneasel attacked, but only broke the shield Escavalier had put in front of itself. Valette frowned.

"Sneasel, use brick break again," Valette said, carefully assessing the situation.

"Escavalier, twinneedle." Valette's eyes widened as Mecha Cop's Escavalier immediately attacked Sneasel, sending her across the room to Valette's feet, swirls in her eyes.

"Ah!" Valette cried, kneeling down to hold her exhausted Sneasel. She clutched it to her chest, fuming at Mecha Cop. "See? I told you, you won last time. I'm not any stronger than I was five years ago. You're using the same strategy to beat me!"

"Then use a different strategy," Mecha Cop countered. He felt like a parent, and began to wonder if his parents ever felt this way when he was younger. "You're probably doing something wrong."

Valette put her Sneasel back into its Poké ball, bringing forth another Sneasel to the ring. "Fine," she spat. "Sneasel, use low kick!"

"Twinneedle."

Valette's Sneasel immediately ran to Escavalier, tripping it and causing it to fall, but Escavalier got up quickly and attacked. Sneasel couldn't withstand Escavalier's super effective move, and fainted.

"Now I can't win no matter what my strategy?" Valette cried, putting her Sneasel back into its ball. "I thought you told me to change!"

"You're missing the point," said Mecha Cop. _It's not that hard, really. _

"How so?" Valette asked. "Why can't you tell me?"

"You have to figure it out on your own. Maybe your winning strategy is different than mine."

Valette brought a third Sneasel forward. "Please don't fail me this time, Sneasel," she said quietly. "You can do it. Use brick break. Smash that puny bug into the ground."

Sneasel dashed forward, slamming its hand onto Escavalier, but Escavalier hardly flinched.

"Escavalier, attack with twinneedle."

Sneasel fainted immediately. Valette fell to her knees in despair, putting her Pokémon back into its ball. "Sorry, Sneasel," she said quietly. "I guess we just weren't good enough."

"Oh, you're good enough," Mecha Cop corrected. "Your technique just isn't."

"What am I supposed to do?" Valette cried. "How am I supposed to use 'technique'?"

"Figure it out," Mecha Cop said. "You can do it. Really, you can."

Valette brought forth another Sneasel, but this time Escavalier attacked even before Sneasel got a single hit in. Valette pulled her Pokémon back, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn't stand to see her beloved Pokémon fainting in battle when she had clearly told Mecha Cop she wasn't ready. _Why does he keep doing this?_ She thought. _I don't see how any of this is going to help me in the long run. All he's going to succeed in doing is taking my Pokémon away from me, and making me even more miserable than I already was._

"Come on, a battle is no time to cry," Mecha Cop prompted. Really, all she was doing was making Mecha Cop feel worse about himself. He already knew he was being harsh. A crying Valette was the last thing he needed.

"Well, sorry if I actually have _emotions_," Valette stressed, causing Mecha Cop to flinch. "I'm on my last Sneasel, and your Pokémon still looks strong. How am I possibly supposed to defeat it?"

"Try," said Mecha Cop. "I'm not making it impossible for you to win."

"Yes you are!" Valette sobbed.

_"No I'm not!"_ Mecha Cop cried. Valette quieted down, yet tears were still streaming down her face. Mecha Cop sighed. "You can do this."

"Then tell me how," Valette pleaded. "I don't know how. I don't even know what I'm doing. You can't just leave me on my own to lose."

"That's not what I'm doing," Mecha Cop amended.

"It is!" Valette screeched. "That's exactly what you're doing! You're leaving me and my Pokémon to lose, and you don't even care!"

"Of course I care!" Mecha Cop cried. "I don't want you to cry, I just want you to make that deeper connection with your Pokémon!"

"HOW?"

"I just—" Mecha Cop stopped as he pinched his nose. "Look, when I was learning to battle, my professor did something similar to me, although on a much more intense scale. Every time I caught a Pokémon, I had to battle my professor with it, and if I couldn't develop that immediate connection with my newly caught Pokémon, I couldn't keep it. I think it took me… maybe nine Pokémon before he would let me keep one?"

"What's your point?" Valette asked, crouching near her remaining two Pokémon.

"The point is that through those battles, I learned how to properly connect with my Pokémon, which in turn made me a more effective and powerful battler," Mecha Cop explained. "But because I had to figure it out on my own, it made those lessons much more meaningful and personal. I was able to learn in a way that worked for me."

Mecha Cop stepped forward to Valette and crouched down, looking her in the eye. "Are you willing to continue?" he asked.

Valette frowned, clearly displeased with the situation. She swiped away a tear and stood up. Mecha Cop followed her. "Fine, I'll battle," she said through her tears.

"Thank you," said Mecha Cop, smiling gratefully as he walked to the other side of the ring. "You go first."

"All right," said Valette. "Weavile, it's your turn. Go in and use ice shard."

Weavile nodded, sprinting into the ring and sending shards of ice at Escavalier. Escavalier held up its arms in defense.

"Escavalier, use twinneedle," said Mecha Cop, almost unemotionally. Escavalier headed toward Weavile, ready to attack. Valette noticed that her Weavile couldn't see the attack well, as she was spinning in the air. She felt sick as she saw Escavalier get closer and closer to her Pokémon. She could see the move, and knew exactly how Weavile should move to get out of it. Suddenly she couldn't take it any longer, she needed—

"Weavile, duck!" Valette cried. Weavile looked to her, its eyes wide, and immediately dropped from the air, causing Escavalier to fly right above it. Valette froze as she saw Escavalier completely miss Weavile.

Mecha Cop smiled from the other end of the ring. _I knew she'd find a way to change the outcome,_ he thought._ There's no way she'll lose if she's able to tell her Pokémon how to dodge. At least, for now._

Valette shook herself from her stupor, still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. "Weavile, finish it off with ice shard!" she cried. Weavile jumped into the air, pelting ice shards at Escavalier again, until Escavalier fell back, exhausted.

Valette dropped to her knees. _It's over… _she thought. _I won. I can't believe I won against Mecha Cop. And after I swore I would never beat him…_

Weavile came running over to Valette and tackled her, clearly proud of itself and its accomplishments. Her other Sneasel hugged her too, celebrating her victory.

Mecha Cop walked over to Valette, smiling as he looked down at her. "See?" he said. "I knew you could do it. You just had to trust in yourself."

Valette looked up, staring Mecha Cop in the eye. "I…" she started, her voice breaking. "I didn't know. I…"

Mecha Cop squatted down to face her. "You're so much stronger than your battles have shown in the past. But you can improve. You can change. You can become more connected with your Pokémon, and battle more effectively."

Valette's eyes shined, and she lifted a hand to wipe at her cheek. "…Thank you."


End file.
